Abstract

GOMEZ, José María. Economic aspects for the implementation of parabolic trough solar collector technology in the sugar industry of Paraguay. Rep. cient. FACEN [online]. 2025, vol.16, n.2, pp.25-36. ISSN 2222-145X.  https://doi.org/10.18004/rcfacen.2025.16.2.025.

This study aimed to study the economic aspects of implementing two hybrid models, combining parabolic trough solar collector technology and a cogeneration system at a sugar mill in the department of Guairá, in order to analyze their feasibility. RETScreen Expert, a software for energy project calculations, was used. The results were verified using an Excel spreadsheet using constants and parameters obtained from official energy sources. For the first feedwater heating model, an NPV of US$83,320,692.3, an IRR of 13%, a payback time of 7.51 years, and an LCOE of US$34.25/MWh were obtained. For the second saturated steam production model, a scenario with an IRR of around 10% was found, a payback time of 9 years, an NPV of around US$90,000,000, and an LCOE of US$51/MWh. Favorable scenarios are presented in 25 years when considering electric power generation and assuming a carbon pricing policy, with energy prices between US$75 and US$100/MWh.

Keywords : solar energy; parabolic trough collectors; RETScreen; renewable energy.

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